ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 116

JK/NKK 116
asi: ö:sy tay ösi: a:sav,
asiy dor kari patavath     |
Sivas sori nà zyun tà marun,
ravas sori nà atagath     ||

In the past we have been,
and we shall be again.
Through long ages
we have come and gone,
like Shiva's
creating and dissolving,
or the rising and setting
of the sun.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 95

JK/NKK 95
he gvara: parameSvara:,
ba:vtam tsè chuy antar vyôd     |
dvaSivay vvapàd:n kandà-pura:,
huh kavà turun tà ha:h kavà tôt     ||

O supremely respected teacher,
explain to me, for you know
the inner meaning:
both breathings rise
from kanda-pura;
why is "huh" cold,
and "hah" hot?

Note: This question is answered in JK/NKK 96, previously translated. Kanda-pura means "city of the bulb," and indicates an area at or near the pubic mound.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 42

JK/NKK 42
rut tà krut soruy pazèm,
kanan nà bozun achan nà ba:và     |
oruk dapun yèli vvandà vuzèm,
ratna-di:p prazàlèm varzàni va:và     ||

Both good and bad,
I must tolerate all.
My ears will not hear,
nor my eyes see.
When the inner call
rises in my mind,
the jewel light will
shine for me,
even in the wind
of the storm.

Note: In this poem Lalla completes and resolves the dialog she began with herself in JK/NKK 43, previously translated. It's about learning to be less sensitive to, or even ignore, the taunts and jeers of others.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 18

JK/NKK 18
muDas gya:nàc kath no vönize,
kharas gor dini ra:viy dôh     |
sèki Sa:Thas phal no vövize,
ra:vàri zi nà kôm-ya:jan ti:l     ||

Do not speak words
of wisdom to a fool.
Giving molasses to an ass
is a waste of time.
Do not plant seeds
in sandy banks.
nor waste oil in
cooking cakes of bran.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 61

JK/NKK 61
vvath rö:ny artsun sakhar,
athi al-pal tà vakhur hèth     |
yôdvanay za:nakh paramàpad akSar,
hiSi: kôSi khor könh-ti na: khèth     ||

Arise, lady,
to prepare the offering,
with wine, meat and
cakes in hand.
As long as you know
the supreme syllable,
the left-handed ways
will do you no harm.

Note: It is likely that this poem is from an early period in Lalla's life, when she was forced to follow family custom in matters of religion, rather than her own inclination. B. N. Parimoo pointed out that when one addresses oneself (as Lalla does here) in Kashmiri, it is tantamount to grumbling about having to do something. The wine, meat, and cakes that Lalla mentions are three elements of Tantric worship. As Lalla points out, as long as you know the supreme syllable (OM), even the left-handed ways will not harm you.

Taking a hint from Grierson, and following the example of my Lalvakh tapes (sung by the wonderful Arti Tiku Kaul and produced by my friend and mentor Virendra Qazi), I have replaced the garbled and meaningless variants of the last line of this poem with the last line of the closely-related poem JK/NKK 60, which is probably what was intended anyway.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR KS 152

KS 152
dod kya:h za:ni yas no bane,
gamàky ja:mà ha: vàlith tane     |
garà-garà phi:ràs pèyam kane,
Dyu:Thum nà ka:nh ti panàni kane     ||

What does one know about pain
who has not suffered it?
Covering my body
with a robe of sorrow,
I went from door to door,
and found only stones.
I did not find anyone
who was on my side.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ THE POEMS OF LALLA OF KASHMIR JK/NKK 96

JK/NKK 96
nö:bhistha:nas tsèth zalàvàni:,
brahmastha:nas SiSirun mvakh     |
brahma:NDas chuy nad vahavàni:
tavay turun huh ha:h gav tôt     ||

The region of the navel
is a blazing pyre.
The abode of Brahma
is of the nature of ice.
Through all this
a great river flows.
Therefore, "huh" is cool,
and "hah" is hot.

Note: I have seen two variants, in addition to this version of the poem, which makes for a confusing situation. Lalla had noticed two types of exhalations, one of which, called by her "huh," was cool, while the other, which she called "hah," was hot. She asked her guru about this many times, as related in several poems, and this is the explanation that she received. The "abode of Brahma" is at the top of the head, in or near the sahasrara chakra (the thousand-petaled lotus). The "flowing river" is the energetic channel flowing between the "kanda," or "bulb," in the region of the pubic mound, and the top of the head. Depending on the type of exhalation, the vital airs are influenced primarily by one or the other of these extremes. All of this is related to the yogic practice of "pranayama," or breath control.

ॐ नमः शिवाय ॐ